Friday
Today seemed to drag on. This is not to say that I was just sitting at my desk twiddling my thumbs. I do not how I could waste any time at work. Especially when my phone won't stop ringing. British folks seem to want to talk to me about how they are not abusing their children and want to know if they can speak to someone actually born in their country. Hello!!! So, since my accent is different does that mean that I am mud! I do understand where they are coming from, have y'all in the States tried to understand the folks manning the call centres in India? My flatmate believes that it is due to the phone connection crackling and the accents on the other end. My day actually dragged due to me being oh so excited about my arranged after work activities. I have become cool with a solicitor (British term for lawyer) from my job. After bustling my flatmates out of the house, heading off to the tube in order for my solicitor friend to hop on at the Mile End stop and walking through Soho; I arrived a hip Moroccan restaurant. The place had a totally out of the country feel with lots of soft ton
es which includes tons of pillows and the pièce de résistance being the hookah pipe in the middle of the table. I have not hookahed since Houston. I loved it!!! I had the apple tobacco and a drink that came with a pineapple attached to my glass like bird of paradise. The service sucked but the intention was not to remain there the entire night. We headed off to a Chinese restaurant that had an out of place jazz singer strutting her stuff on a second floor balcony. I am not making this up. I thought the environment did not quite match the ambience. She sang wonderfully and I was impressed with her performance. She (name unknown) has been involved in big name movie projects such as the Constant Gardener. The restaurant had wonderful service that literally you could not get a word out and someone would magically appear. We met my solicitor's friends which included an American couple and an English/Nigerian lady named Dae. Dae and I got along well due to us being a bit wary of the food. We ended trying certain things that caused her to run to the bathroom and me to pretend that I was on the Fear Factor. I will say now that I am not a fan of fried shrimp heads! One of my flatmates had her fairytale fantasy fulfilled when she realized that the American couple were living in two separate places when they started dating and took a leap of faith to be with each other. It would have been okay any other day to hear my flatmate gushing and having a Disney moment, but after a couple of expensive drinks I was not in mood. After dinner my flatmates and my solicitor headed our own way. The rest of the group headed home. We were in the mood for one more drink which took us to a packed pub. I was walking through the crowd at one point and this short bloke asked me 'do you like it in the ass?' WTF?! I turned to him and told him that his dick was too small for all that. I was pretty much ready to see my bed at that point. Saturday
Typical crummy English day...gloomy and rainy. No problemo! Lynn and I headed off to St. Paul's Cathedral. We walked up roughly 530 steps to the golden galley to enjoy the view of the London. I had to stop several times on the way up to give my nicotine covered lungs a break as well as my overworked heart. I met folks who started off conversations with me by saying 'we paid money for this torture?' I remembered that The Critter and I visited St. Paul's when he was around in the early days of me being in England. We only made it into the entrance where we snuck a photo. Too broke at the time to spend the 9.50 to rome around.
Lynn and I spent the rest of the day in a coffee shop in which I finally finished The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Great book, but the ending pissed me off a bit, but I understood the point the author was trying to make. I will do a blog with excerpts from the book that caused me to have 'AHA' moments. Tiffany, is reading his other book "The witch of Portobello.' I surprised that we were actually reading books by the same author. Lynn and I ended up back home in time for movie night. We watched Pan's Labyrinth and the graphics were amazing with a unique storyline. I wholly recommend the movie, just be prepared for the subtitles. There was some other movie we watched afterward that I can't remember...which means that it probably is not worth mentioning.
Here is your history lesson...
A Cathedral dedicated to St Paul has overlooked the City of London since 604AD, a constant reminder to this great commercial centre of the importance of the spiritual side of life. The current Cathedral – the fourth to occupy this site – was designed by the court architect Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1675 and 1710 after its predecessor was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Its architectural and artistic importance reflect the determination of the five monarchs who oversaw its building that London’s leading church should be as beautiful and imposing as their private palaces. Since the first service took place here in 1697. Wren's masterpiece has been where people and events of overwhelming importance to the country have been celebrated, mourned and commemorated. Important services have included the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill; Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria; peace services marking the end of the First and Second World Wars; the launch of the Festival of Britain; the Service of Remembrance and Commemoration for the 11th September 2001: the 80th and 100th birthdays of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother; the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, to Lady Diana Spencer and, most recently, the thanksgiving services for both the Golden Jubilee and 80th Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen. Over the centuries, St Paul’s has changed to reflect shifting tastes and attitudes. Decoration has been added and removed, services have been updated, different areas have been put to new uses. Today, the history of the nation is written in the carved stone of its pillars and arches and is celebrated in its works of art and monuments.
In the crypt are effigies and fragments of stone that pre-date the Cathedral, relics of a medieval world. From Wren’s original vision, Jean Tijou’s beautiful wrought iron gates of 1700 still separate the quire from the ambulatory; children still test the acoustics in the Whispering Gallery; and the 1695 organ which Mendelssohn once played is still in use. The magnificent mosaics are the result of Queen Victoria’s mid-19th century complaint that the interior was “most dreary, dingy and undevotional.” The American Memorial Chapel stands behind the High Altar in an area that was bomb-damaged during the Second World War – a gesture of gratitude to the American dead of the Second World War from the people of Britain. An altar has now been installed on a dais in the heart of the Cathedral, bringing services closer to those who attend them. Throughout, St Paul’s has remained a busy, working church where millions have come to worship and find peace. It is a heritage site of international importance which attracts thousands of people each year, a symbol of the City and Nation it serves and, above all, a lasting monument to the glory of God.
Sunday
I do not know how I managed to get out of bed this morning. My legs were still killing me from walking the St. Paul's steps. Ugh...I wanted to crawl around all day. Lynn and I went to see the matinée of Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Decent film...action...death...amazing graphics...not on my top 10 list. Pretty average flick. The plan for the day was to come home relax a bit and head out clubbing. That did not happen at all. We did nap, but ended up watching Pirates of the Caribbean 2, while sipping hot chocolate spiked with Bailey's. Leanna ended up coming home early from a musical festival with a friend. I failed to mention that she left on Saturday. She was supposedly feeling a bit miserable having to sleep in a tent while the wind and rain were making a mess of things.
Bank Holiday Monday
No work. That means lay around the house in my pajamas, drinking coffee while the work I brought home surrounds me. I may actually have to get something done today.
Shoutouts
Ms. Jackie....I got your email. You caused me to have a minor breakdown after reading about the pregnant girl that did not know that her baby had been dead for three weeks. That was some shit.
Tiffany--Can you send me an email about your book after you have finished it? I want to blog it.
Charlotte-- miss ya much babe. Have fun moving our children.
Corinna- you probably won't read this blog for months...can't wait for you to come out here. Amsterdam here we come!!!
The Critter-- you are only roughly 4 weeks from being back out here. We have to find me a good backpack for Bologna. Can I say that I am soooo excited about going to Venice?!!!
Kelly--- Congrats again on your upcoming nuptials!!!!!
Everyone else...love and miss y'all
Labels: Hookah, Paulo Coelho, St. Paul's Cathedral
